Shoulder straps without gold trim

[major bill]

I noticed that in a photograph General Sickles wears shoulder straps without the regulation gold borders. I was wondering why Sickles did this. Was this common? I do know that some officers had their rank sewn on to their uniforms without any shoulder straps.

 

[GELongstreet]

I´ve no idea if it was really common but it definitely happened. General Order 286, allowing the wear only the devices instead of straps, came just in late 1864 though there were local orders allowing it before (e.g. the Army of the Cumberland already in mid 1863). I´d assume it would be both easier and more logical to use borderless straps than sewing the insignia directly on the uniform for reasons of not damaging or distorting the devices with stitching holes or yarn.

I suppose you mean this re-worked civilian jacket (picture from the old generalsandbrevets). There`s little space for a borders as the stars seem to be enlarged (which sounds pretty much like Dan).

Same seem to be true for David M. Gregg as well.

 

[mofederal]

I think this includes the use of metal insignia, coffin bar style of insignia. for Lt.'s and Captains. I know these existed, just not sure how widespread. I remember some friends who found this out while doing research. These people were hard corps authentics and asked me about the different style of metal bars. I think this would be covered under the orders. I wouldn't be surprised if this could be confirmed by images, but as I was not an officer type, I never bothered to do any research on the subject.

 

[Package4]

As with many things ACW, officers could pretty much do as much as they could get away with and as the war progressed rank became more subdued due to employment of sharpshooters. Hat braid went from gold to blue or black, straps for field officers became much smaller with subdued braid or even metal insignia, regulations be dammed.

The Schuler Hartley & Graham catalog is full of non regulation insignia, uniforms and swords for US officers. Line officers even started to wear the lighter blue trousers and overcoats of the enlisted, survival was paramount.

General officers did as they pleased, case in point Custer, as long as their superiors didn't raise too much of a fuss, this was a volunteer army for the most part. Many officers in the field wore sack coats for comfort and assimilation, while others wore a shell jacket, neither were technically regulation.

 

[drezac]

also, check out the sticky in the colorized photographs area regarding how collodion reproduces colors. you must take into consideration that these photographs are not black and white in the way we understand it. modern black and white is panchromatic - sensitive to all colors. Collodion was only sensitive to a narrow range of colors, primarily in the blue color spectrum. Colors like yellow and red would appear black on a collodion print. If you look closely, you will see a border on the shoulder straps, only slightly different than the rest of the colors. Colors such as yellow would only show the smaller amount of light of other colors that it also reflected. for example, with the star most likely being polished, it would reflect some colors other that the yellow/brass color ( or it may have been silver) which would make it look different than a non-reflective finish such as a gold border.

 

[Package4]

also, check out the sticky in the colorized photographs area regarding how collodion reproduces colors. you must take into consideration that these photographs are not black and white in the way we understand it. modern black and white is panchromatic - sensitive to all colors. Collodion was only sensitive to a narrow range of colors, primarily in the blue color spectrum. Colors like yellow and red would appear black on a collodion print. If you look closely, you will see a border on the shoulder straps, only slightly different than the rest of the colors. Colors such as yellow would only show the smaller amount of light of other colors that it also reflected. for example, with the star most likely being polished, it would reflect some colors other that the yellow/brass color ( or it may have been silver) which would make it look different than a non-reflective finish such as a gold border.

Yellow can appear white as well and in most cases when it comes to straps and piping, does.

William D Rogers 15th FL Cav CS

Frederick Jost 17th NY Cav Yellow trim jacket and buff strap cav background

Custer's famous yellow trimmed attire

 

[Package4]

A more subdued yellow, but the contrast is still there and visible:

13 NY Cav stripes are yellow, but I assume severely faded as this is an 1865 photo.

 

[Frederick14Va]

What we today usually call "subdued" rank insignias became fairly common place as the war progressed... Shoulder straps void of its bullion borders... and also using the insignia device solo... on the shoulder... or even the collar... or some simply wearing none at all....